Current virtual reality solutions tend to exist in a vacuum; they are lone-standing applications and have little to no integration with other existing technologies.
Many of the existing VR software is focused on fulfilling one task only and have been developed for one specific purpose—be it for practical (e.g. VR applications for medical/military training) or entertainment purposes (e.g. VR gaming). Often the existing software presents complete visual spaces that either only depict a limited area—such as one room—or spaces that are not intended to reflect reality, for example dream-like spaces within VR gaming. The possibility for movement is limited to a few gestures only and it is impossible to move outside and further out from the intended location of the action.
VR solutions that do not intend to depict real-life activities, such as in VR gaming, already exist. Software of this kind plays on novelty value to the user—the world they get to explore is dream-like, even magical, and catches attention quickly. The user who interacts with such software may be inspired by the novelty of what he or she is experiencing as the visuals and the possible actions are not realistic, they are non reproducible in real life. The novelty of the experience quickly wears out once the user has explored all that the designed world has to offer.
The visuals in existing VR software can be captivating however they often lack usability and practicality, or are intended to be practical in one way only.
Most importantly however, the existing VR software does not possess a social aspect as the user is always “alone” in the virtual world, or faced with non-human characters.